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ECONOMICS OF OPERATION ON LIMITED-ACCESS HIGHWAYS

THE FINDINGS OF TWELVE CASE STUDIES ARE REPORTED ON IN WHICH A COMPARISON OF OPERATIONS WAS MADE ON TWO ABUTTING OR NEARBY SECTIONS, ONE HAVING LIMITED ACCESS AND ONE NONLIMITED ACCESS. TRAVEL TIME, GASOLINE CONSUMPTION, UTILIZATION OF BRAKES, AND SAFETY WERE INVESTIGATED. THE STUDY INDICATES THAT FULLY AND PARTIALLY CONTROLLED-ACCESS HIGHWAYS CARRYING SUBSTANTIAL VOLUMES OF THROUGH TRAFFIC RESULT IN: (1) A SIGNIFICANT SAVINGS IN TIME AND A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN GASOLINE CONSUMPTION IN URBAN AREAS, (2) A SIGNIFICANT SAVINGS IN TIME BUT NO SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN GASOLINE CONSUMPTION IN SUBURBAN AREAS, (3) NO SIGNIFICANT SAVINGS IN TIME NOR SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN GASOLINE CONSUMPTION IN RURAL AREAS, AND (4) A SIGNIFICANT DECREASE IN THE ACCIDENT RATE IN URBAN, SUBURBAN, AND RURAL AREAS.